Lock device



Aug. 27, 1946. l M. KATZ 2,406,464

. LOCK DEVICF` Filed Aug. 24, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 27, 1946. M KATZ 2,406,464 Loox DEVICE I v'Filed Aug. 24, y3.945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "a www@ A305.' g 35H N .37 w 37- l l v /4 0 y Il y Law/)2M ME El Kaz i 24 8203/27 ef /5 5 Aug. 27, 1946.

Loox DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1945 s Sheets-snaai s M. KA'rz 4 y 2,4065464 Patented Aug. 27, 1946 UNITED STATES PATl'sNT OFFICE 2,406,464 Loox DEVICE Meyer Katz, Canoga Park, Calif. Application August 24, 1945, Serial No. 612,359 6 claims. (o i. ill-169) This invention relates to lock devices and refers more particularly to locking covers or caps especially suited for application to the open end of lill spouts or the like to lock the fill spout closed. In their most common use caps of this nature are employed as covers for the ll spouts ofgasoline tanks on automobiles and their ability to lock the spouts closed effectively prevents unauthorized access to such tanks.

Locking caps previously provided for this purpose have been found objectionable in most instances because of the fact that they require the use of a key after application to the ll spout to elect projection of the bolts thereof to operative position engaging under the customary ledge at the upper open end of the fill spout.

In all such types of locking caps requiring key rotation to effect projection of the bolts to their locking positions the locking bolts are subjected to substantial strain by being forced under `the ll spout ledges which is particularlyobjectionable inasmuch as it leads to breakage of the bolts or at least rapid wearing thereof.

It is one of the objects of this invention, therefore, to provide a locking cap of the character described which may be applied to the ll spout of Aa gasoline tank or other receptacle in an unlocked .condition and to provide for projection'of the bolts to their operative locking positions by trigger lmeans actuated by the ll spout as the cap is pressed thereon. This secures the advantage of y projecting the bolts to their operative locking positions without placing any strain on the bolts and without actuation of the key for the cap.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a locking cap having bolt means biased to operative projected position and in which bolt retaining and releasing means is provided to hold the bolts in retracted position for application to the fill spout with release of the bolts effected by engagement of the bolt releasing means with the ll spout during application of the cap thereto.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a locking cap of the character described wherein release of the bolts to their operative projected positions is effected by means entirely independent of the bolt retracting mechamsm.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood l that such changes in the precise embodiment of plication to the upper open end of a ll spout;

Figure 1a is a fragmentary elevational view of ra .portion of an automobile illustrating lthe locking cap of this invention applied to the ll spout with which the gasoline tank of the automobile is provided;

Figure 2` is a bottom view looking into the open end of the locking cap of this invention;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional viewof the cap taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the cap taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 4 4; l l

Figure 5 is another cross sectional view taken y through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 5-5 but showing the cap being applied to a lll spout vwhile in an unlocked condition;

Figure 6 is a cross4 sectional view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating the cap locked in place on the ll spout; and i Figure 7 is a perspective View of the cap with its component parts separated to better illustrate the same but maintained in their proper order of assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral I Il generally designates the locking cap ofy this invention which as shown in Figures 1 and 1a is adapted to be applied to the upper open end of a ll spout II such as the gasoline tank of an automobile I2 is customarily provided with.

The fill spout II is of conventional design and has. the customary inturned annular flange or rim I3 at its upper open end portion to define the f seat against which the Iusual cap engages Ito close the flange or rim I3 are struck inwardly into theV Y55 metrically opposite sides of the rim through which the YVappear in greater detail hereinafter, such engagecylinder for rotation.

3 the customary rigid locking ears of the conventional cap are inserted for engagement under the cam-like ledges I5.

The lock bolts of the cap of this invention also engage under the ledges I5 to likewise Yhold cap locked in place on the spout, but as will ment of the bolts under the ledges is brought about automatically by applicationof the cap to the spout with the cap in an unlocked (bolt Y retracted) condition, without requiring key accarried by the lower y inside the cap near the lower open end of the cap. The washer is guided for longitudinal motion on the lock body by means of diametrically opposite ribs 4@ projecting from the exterior of the lock body and engaging in suitable recesses 4I in the inner periphery of the washer. The ribs 40 are located at opposite sides of the bolts and have slots 42 out therethrough medially of the ends of theV lock body as shown in Figure 7 to slidably receive rods @3 carried by the washer and extending across its aperture. Engagement of the rods 43 with the bottoms of the slots 42 limits longitudinal motion of the or inner end portion of a lock body 2| having its .L

upper end secured to the bottom. 22 ofa substantiallycup-shaped cap 23 with the klower or inner end of the lock body projecting fromvthe open end of the cap. The lock rboltsare slidably Yreceived in wells 24 in the lock vbody for motion crosswise of the open end of the cap on substantially parallel axesand at opposite sides of a lock cylinder 25 centrally rotatably jourf nalled Yin the lock body.

The lock cylinder'is exposed to the top of the cap to enable insertion of a proper key thereinto for retraction of the lock tumblers I1 from tumbler grooves I8'in theY lock body so as to free the A spring 25 in the bottom of one of the wells reacts Vagainst the inner end of the bolt therein to yieldingly bias the bolt outwardly of the body to a projected position for engagement under one of the ledges I5 of the iill spout. A link connector 21 rotatably received on the lower end portion of the lock cylinder which projects from the lock body is connected lbetween the lock bolts, however, to assure motion thereof in unison but in opposite directions in response to the action of the spring. f A

The connection between the bolts and the link is provided by pins 28 projecting from the undersides of the bolts and operating in slots 29 through which the wells 24 open to the bottom of the lock body with the pins received apertures SiiY at the opposite ends of the link. The apertures 39 are oversize tocompensate for arcuate movement of the link and reciprocating motion of the pins in theslots 29. i

A lever 3 I secured to the inner end of the lock cylinder 25 and overlying the adjacentend'lof' the lock body and the linkr2'I engages one ofthe pins 28 during rotation of the lock cylinder in an unlocking direction to retract the bolts into their wells to inoperative positions in which they are releasably maintained by a plunger-like latch 32.

This latch is slidable in a bore 32', the axis of which is substantially parallel to the lock cylinder axis and intersects the axis of one of the lock bolt wells so that the lock bolt therein confines the latch in its bore. A spring 33 in the bottom of therbore 32 and acting against the plunger yieldingly urges the same against the side of the bolt adjacent thereto and snaps the plunger behinda shoulder 34 on thebolt when the bolts have been retracted by the lock cylinder;

The plunger 32 rhas a rod 35 attached thereto and projecting transversely therefrom to project from opposite sides of the lock body. The rod 35 is slidably received in a slot 33 forming substantialy anupward extension in the lock body of onrthe inner peripheral portions ofY a washer38 slidably mounted on the exterior of the lockbody washer outwardly 'of the cap to which position it is Abiased by compression springs 4t contained in wells'li in the lock body with the springs confined between the bottoms of the wells and the rods 43.

Motion of the washer upwardly into the inten rior of the cap thus is translated into motion of the plunger 32 in a direction to unlatchV or dis- Y flatwise engagement thereof with the rim I3 at the top of the fill spout during application of the cap to the spout with the ribs 4U of the lock body engaging in the entrance openings |16 of the spout to guide the cap in place.

Thus, upon depression of the cap onto the spout, the 'spring washer 38 is forced into the interior of the cap to effect release of the locking bolts of the device at a level well beneath thelevel of Vthe ledges I5y to thereby nonrotatably secure the cap on the spout against removal exceptV by actuation of the lock cylinder with a 'proper key.

Asiclearly shown in Figures 5 and 6, the Vshoulderv 34g on the lcck'bolt has substantial height so as `to enable a substantial length ofthe latch-Y distance sufl'lciently far as to carry the locking bolts vbeneath the ledges I5 regardless of variations in the distances of such ledgesA on different spouts from the rim of the spout. It will, therefore; be seenthat the cap has self-adjusting Vfea- Vtures with respect to Aits-locking action.

Also, itwill be seen that the bolts 'are projected to their operative locking positions entirely with- Y out' subjection of the 'bolts to strainsr such aslwas encountered in previous gasoline capsv wherein the 'bolts were propelled to operative position by Y actuation of a proper key, and that the lbolts are further protected against damage" by the nonrotatable connection between th'e'cap and spout afforded by engagement Vof the lock vbody ribs VIll! in the spout recesses I6. Y Y Y After application Yof the cap to the spout in the mannerdescribed, it will be noted that although the spring plunger 32 remains in an elevated pOSiliOIl Yriding on the cylindrical surface of the bolt, the springs II/ireacting against the rods 43 snap the spring washer 38 against the rim I3 of thed spout so that' the washer-cooperates VwithV the bolts to Vclamp the ange therebetween under springpressure with the washer acting as the' capaslight distance abovethe locked posi- YtionV thereof on thell vspout when the bolts are retracted to unlock the cap, thus providing a ,pop

'5 up4 feature desirable for its indication that the cap is unlocked.

The pop up feature together with the fact that locking is accomplished merely by the act `of pressing the cap onto the fill spout to cause strain on' the lock bolts during the locking operation.

if 'What I claim'as my invention is:

u1. A locking cap of the character described comprising: a lock body; a pair of lock bolts mounted on the lock body for movement transversely thereof inv opposite directions; spring means biasing the lock bolts to operative po-sitions projecting outwardly of the lock'body; latch i means for releasably holding the lock bolts in retracted positions; trigger Ameans guided on the exterior of the lock body for motion longitudinally thereof and engageable with the end portion of a illl spout to which the cap is applied; and a connection between said trigger means and the latch means whereby motion of the trigger means along the lock body produced by pressing the cap on the end portion of the iill spout effects disengagement of the latch means from the lock bolts so as to free the bolts for spring propelled motion to their operative positions. v

2. In a locking cap of the character described: a substantially cup-shaped cover adapted to be applied to a ll spout with its open end facing the open end of the ill spout; a lock body mounted inside the cover coaxially thereof and projecting from the open end of the cover; a washer encircling the lock body inside the cover and atwise engageable with the open end of the ll spout when the cover is applied thereto; a connection between the lock body and the washer affording the washer a limited degree of longitudinal motion along the exterior of the lock body; spring means reacting between the lock body and the washer to yieldingly maintain the washer projected away from the bottom of the cover; bolt means carried by the projecting end portion of the lock body for motion transversely of the axis of the lock body from retracted to operative positions underlying said washer so as to cooperate with the washer in clamping a portion of the ll spout therebetween; and latch means controlled by the washer for holding said bolt means in retracted position, movement of the washer a predetermined distance into the cover produced by pressing the cover onto the spout effecting release of the latch means to thereby free the bolt means for motion to operative position.

3. A lock device of the character described comprising a substantially cup-shaped cover the open end of which is of a size to enable telescoping thereof over the upper open end of a fill spout; a lock body secured in the bottom of the cover and projecting from the open end thereof coaxially with the cover; a pair of spring propelled clock bolts carried by the lock body for sliding motion on axes substantially normal to the lock body axis `toand 5 from operative projected positions` in 'which the outer end portions of the bolts are en- '.gageable under a ledge inside a fill spout to which the cover is applied to lock the cap thereto;

(means on'the locl:v body connecting said bolts to cause sliding motion thereof inunison but in opposite directions; a latch carried by the lock fbody for sliding motion on an Iaxis substantilly parallel to the axis of the lock body and biased lo` i of the bolts in the retracted position of the bolts so as to maintain the same inoperative; a washer to aA position engaging behind a shoulder on one slidable along the exterior of the lock body inlside the cover and connected with the latch to Vimpart movement thereto in a direction to disengage the latch from said lockbolt and thereby free the lock bolts for spring propelled motion to their operative locking positions upon motion of the washer into the cup-shaped cover, said washer engaging the extremity of the fill spout to be moved thereby upon pressing of the cover ldown'-onto the open end ofthe iillspout; and

' means yieldingly biasing the' washer towards the lock bolts whereby the washer and lock bolts 4are'tightly drawnv against opposite .s'desof said ledge on the iill spout in the locked position of the cover.

4. A locking cover for a fill spout having a rim at its upper open end and an inturned flange defining a ledge at the interior of the spout adjacent to said rim thereof, characterized by: ar

substantially annular member flatwise engageable with said rim and mounted in the cover for motion relative thereto toward and from the bottom of the cover with the sealing member spring urged in a direction outwardly of the cover; bolt means projectible from a retracted cover unlocked position to an operative locking position under 4spring force, said bolt means cooperating with the sealing means in the locked condition 0f the cover to yieldably clamp said rim of the spout therebetween; latch means for open end of the spout; a lock bolt carried by the body for motion transversely thereof across the interior of the spout and biased to an operative position projected from the lock body; a washer guided for longitudinal motion along the exterior of the lock body toward and from the lock bolt; spring means biasing the washer toward the lock bolt and against a stop on the body so that the washer normally lies adjacent to the bolt, the washer being engageable with said rim at the upper end of the ll spout and moved away from the bolt as the lock body is inserted into the spout to carry the lock bolt thereon beneath said ledge on the ll spout; a latch behind which the bolt engages in its retracted position to maintain the bolt inoperative; and a connection between the latch and the washer lby which motion of the washer along the lock body away from the lock bolt during application of the device .to the ll spout moves the latch toward disengagement from the lock bolt with nal disengagement of the 4latch from the ibolt ibeing leffected afterseparationof the washer from thebolt a predetermined to Yan operative locking :position beneath'the rledge on thefill spout, whereby Lthelock loolt is propelled to -itsoperative locking position beneath the ledge witlggpt imposition of strain'onthe bolt.

Y 6. A Ylock .device of the Acl'iaracter `described comprising: a, lock body. .the inner portion .of which is insertable into the upper open end of ajllspout having a keeper-like ledge son its interor; a lock .cylinder .rotatably journalled. in the body and projecting from theinner Vend there? of; a pair of lock bolts carrie'drby the .inner :portionwof the lock body at oppositesides of the cylin'- der airis for sliding .motion oni parallel axes substantiallynormal `to `the lock cylinder axis; fa connector rotatably journalled on -the 'projecting end of the lockV cylinder andvconnected with saidv lock bolts to cause the same to -slide .in unison butl in opposite directions from inoperative' retracted positions toloperative lockingpositions projecting,

1 urging `th'esarneto operative projected positions;

a `latch movably carried bythe lockgbody and biased to a position engaging a shoulder on one of said lock =bolts in the unlocked condition of the device to hold the lock 'bolts retracted; a vmotion transmitting connection between the lock cylinder and the lock bolts whereby rotation of the lock cylinder in one direction effects sliding `,m0-V tion of the bolts "to their retracted positions at which the latch is operative; a, Washer guided for longitudinal motion lalong the exterior of 'the lock body above thelock bolts and biased Vtoward the lock bolts, said washer being engageable yfiatwise with the upper end portion of the fill spout .upon insertion Vof `the lock body into the spout ,to vbe moved thereby upwardly away from the bolts as the deviceis pressedfonto the spout; Yand a motion transmitting connection' between the washer and the latch operable to eiect release Y of the latch and consequently spring propulsion 

